Deceased Equines

In the event of the death of your horse, the passport must be returned to the original Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO) within 30 days.

If your horse’s passport was issued by the BHS, please return this to our Passport Office with a covering letter detailing the date and cause of death.

The BHS is happy to return passports if owners would like to keep the document for sentimental reasons. Please ensure that you make it clear in your covering letter that you would like to have the passport returned to you, and enclose an SAE with the correct postage paid.

Every PIO must comply fully with equine identification legislation. Therefore please be aware that when you receive your returned horse’s passport, each page will be stamped as ‘invalid’.

Abattoir

If your horse is euthanased at an abattoir, the passport must accompany the horse. In these instances the slaughter house personnel are responsible for returning the passport to the correct PIO with the relevant notification.

Insurance Companies

If you are proceeding with a mortality claim with your insurance company, please ensure that you contact the insurance company before returning your horse’s passport. It is highly likely that the insurance company will request that the passport is sent to them before it is returned to the relevant PIO. All insurance companies are fully aware of the 30 day time restriction and will return the passport to the original PIO, on your behalf, before the deadline. Ensure that you make it very clear to the insurance company should you wish to have the passport returned to you as a keepsake so that the insurance company can notify the PIO accordingly.

Cost

There is no charge for this service.
If you would like your horse’s passport to be returned, please enclose an SAE with the correct postage for the envelope size used.
Processing Time

The administration updates will be completed within 10 working days.

Fast-Track Service

The BHS now offer a fast-track service for all types of passport application/service. Fast-track applications will be processed within one working day of receipt at a cost of £25 per application, in addition to the cost of the application/service.